Indomitable
by Agilleo
Summary: How far would they go to protect those dear to them? To seek forgiveness? To find peace? In the wake of a war, the indomitable spirit of three men shines with fervor.
1. Ends of the Earth

**INDOMITABLE**

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**Ends of the Earth**

Clouds slowly rolled in from the west that fateful afternoon. Terra breathed in the warm breeze, his chest swelling with contentment. How many years had he longed for this view? The Land of Departure stretched in front of him, the verdant staccato mountains rising up to meet the endless expanse of the sky.

A tug in his heart led him through the winding mountain paths, an inescapable desire to explore his home.

He was home.

He felt a raindrop on his head. Before he knew it, the drizzle had turned into a torrential downpour. A soft smile graced his lips as he stretched his arms, taking in the summer rain. Laughter erupted deep within him. Soon enough, he was soaked from head to toe.

How long has it been since he felt the rain? How long has it been since he was free? Caged inside his own body, perpetually fighting the man who had driven everything he held dear to the brink of ruin.

"You look like you're having fun."

Aqua.

His smile grew wider as his eyes fell onto hers. Brilliant and graceful, she stood a few yalms back, his antecedent reason for everything, raindrops bouncing off of her skin from whatever spell she had casted.

"I am."

"You're all wet."

He turned his head back to the clouds and took a deep breath, the pleasant petrichor filling his lungs. He heard her approach, her soft footsteps lightly rustling the grass.

Her fingers gently wrapping around his, a warmth he longed for emanating from the simple gesture. How long had he waited for this? How much did he had to suffer? How much did _she_ had to suffer? Countless words were silently spoken as his grip on hers tightened, praying the moment last forever.

He opened his eyes, the world feeling new once more.

She shuffled forward, turning to face him. How long did he wait to gaze upon her face? His eyes traced her features, locking into her ocean eyes, iridescent and swirling with something he couldn't exactly tell.

"Earth to Terra," she chimed, breaking him free from his thoughts. "What's wrong?"

He laughed quietly to himself. "I guess… I was lost, but now, I'm found?" He took a step forward, closing the distance between the two. He stiffened when she rested her head on his chest. Was she always this forward?

"You are," she whispered softly into his chest, muffled by the pitter patter of the rain.

"You'll get wet," he joked.

She pushed away with a fake frown on her face. "Don't even joke. Let me have this."

They shared a laugh underneath the rain. She lingered for another moment, his heartbeat slowly syncing with hers.

"What was it like? The Realm of Darkness?"

She pulled away, her hand still linked with his, leading him up the mountain path. "It was lonely," she started, longing in her trembling voice. "I was alone for a long time. I didn't have anything to count time. I didn't have anything to tell me everything was going to be okay."

He tugged her back, swinging her around to face him. Gone was the spell that protected her from the rain. Her hair stuck to her cheeks, her tears mixing with the rain. Suddenly, she crashed into him.

"I was scared," she cried into his chest. "I couldn't do anything but hope that one day… we'd find you." A sob escaped her lips, falling apart onto his arms.

"I fell into darkness. It was cold, and cruel, and I was scared, and I just wanted everything to end." She shivered with every word, her fists slamming against his chest.

"I just… wanted everything to disappear."

With those words, Terra's heart cracked.

Dismantled was the calm collected woman that he knew, emancipated from the shackles of war they did not deserve. They weren't soldiers anymore, merely children who grew up too fast to survive. Merely children trying to pick up what was left of their past lives. Of their innocence.

He tucked the stray wet locks of hair behind her ears and cupped her face in his hands, a quiet resolve overflowing through every fibre of his body.

With a flash of light, his keyblade materialized in his free hand, the familiar weight bringing him comfort. His lungs filled with the cool mountain air, humid from the passing summer rain. Never again would he let her suffer. Never again would he let her stand alone.

"Have I ever told you the name of my keyblade?"

She shook her head. He grinned, puffing out his chest.

"Ends of the Earth. Do you know why?"

His eyes travelled down the keyblade, taking in every scratch, dent, and chip. It was worn down yet the same as it was before, the same keyblade that he had used for all these years. It was the proof of his unbending will, his indomitable resolve.

"I didn't know why at first too," he admitted to her. "But after everything that happened, it was plain to see."

The rain had slowed down to a drizzle.

"Its my purpose. My reason of existence. If fate brings us another war, I will not make the same mistake again. I _will_ protect you and Ven, Even if I have to go through the ends of the Earth to do it. Even if I have to go beyond that. No matter the cost. This, I promise."

Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke. The clouds parted, streaks of sunlight pouring through and bathing everything in its warm light. Through teary eyes, his gaze met hers. She was silent.

"Was that too cheesy…?"

A smile broke across her face, reaching all the way to her eyes and then some. Her arms shot up and wrapped around his neck. She shot up, her lips meeting his in a brief moment. "No, it was perfect."

As if a thousand butterflies had suddenly erupted in his stomach, the sun illuminated her graceful outline.

He leaned in, placing his lips onto hers once more.

Rain fell that fateful afternoon. Underneath clearing clouds and above verdant mountains, a promise was made. Two hearts intertwined, overlooking the Land of Departure.

Terra breathed in the warm summer breeze, pleasant petrichor filling his lungs. How long had he waited for this? It did not matter anymore. His fingers wrapped around hers, he slowly exhaled. He would protect her.

He would protect everything dear to him, to the ends of the Earth and beyond.

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**I'm not a writer, not at all, but was inspired by the indomitable resolve of these characters that I wanted to write about it. I hope you enjoy...?**


	2. Warmth

**INDOMITABLE**

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**Warmth**

Naminé's soft footsteps echoed throughout the empty hallways the laboratory. Her legs ached, a full day of running around exploring Destiny Islands draining everything she had.

Not that she could complain. The scientific breakthrough of the Replica Program had given her another chance in life. Without it, she would have spent eternity in the Final World. Without it, she would have never been able to see. To hear. To touch. _To feel_.

To be given life by those who wanted to take it away. A twist of fate, she concluded.

A screen flickered in the distance. Her eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, slowly making her way to the source.

She found Ienzo sprawled on his desk in a peaceful slumber. Peeking around his shoulder, she let out a small laugh. Pages and pages of equations were scattered over his desk, pen still in his hands.

"Welcome back, Naminé," a deep voice called behind her.

"Good evening Ansem," she greeted the man at the entrance.

"Tea?" He asked, making his way to the back of the room.

She nodded in response, walking towards him. Marred as their relationship was, the man in front of her was no longer the same person from back then. She could tell from his eyes, softening whenever he looks at her.

"Now, Miss Naminé," he started, placing a cup of tea in front of her, "how is the Replica?"

She stared at her hand, slowly closing her fist, feeling every tendon contract and release. "I felt sand for the first time in my life. I only knew what it was like from Kairi's memories but to hold it…"

"You have little Ienzo to thank for that," Ansem replied. His eyes drifted to the young researcher passed out at the desk. "He took liberty in furthering the research in your Replica's somatosensory system. Simply unbelievable work, I tell you."

"Soma-to-sensory?"

Ansem's fingertips grazed upon the smooth table. "The sense of touch, embedded within our skin. Please, place your hands on your drink."

She raised an eyebrow at his request, placing her hands on the cup of tea. The warmth felt comforting to her cold hands. "I didn't know my hands were this cold."

"That may be due to a lower blood pressure. In which case, we will test it first thing tomorrow," he commented. "But do you feel the warmth?"

Naminé nodded, taking a sip of the tea.

"That is also due to the somatosensory system. The incomplete Replicas before had a prototype system, only feeling rough estimates of what a real person could feel. But Ienzo was not satisfied," Ansem explained.

He stood up and walked over to the sleeping man. Naminé noticed his eyes softening, a fatherly look on his face. She couldn't help but smile.

He picked up a piece of paper lying on the floor and placed it beside Ienzo's head. "Even now, he works til the dead of night, finding the right geometry for neurons, researching the appropriate materials, and so much more."

"Why would he do all this?" she blurted out. Her hands reached up to her lips, unsure if what she asked was appropriate.

Instead, Ansem lightly chuckled.

"Do you know why Even started the Replica Program?" he asked.

She placed a finger on her chin, recalling the events that had transpired. "I thought it was to create Xion in case Roxas failed?"

Ansem shook his head. "Vexen was responsible for that, but not Even. Although it only bore fruit when Xion came to be, the foundations had been laid years prior," he corrected her. Sitting down, he took a sip of his tea before continuing.

"Ienzo lost his parents at a young age."

Naminé's eyes cast downward. She never really knew anything about him other than his time as a Nobody during Castle Oblivion.

"When he came under our care, he was a shell of a child. Empty eyes, innocence robbed too early."

Naminé looked towards the young researcher still asleep. He certainly was not like that anymore thankfully.

"We would soon find out that he was a brilliant child, finding solace and comfort in front of books. His stacks of books were piled higher than I was, I tell you! Everyone in our little family came to love him, but we knew it was not the case in his side. I still remember the days where Dilan and Aeleus would create such elaborate plans to bring out a smile in him but the only thing that would make him smile was to hold onto my hand for hours on end." Ansem laughed quietly, nostalgia flowing through him as he recalled the past.

"What happened next?" she asked, curiosity building up.

"As we learned more about the nature of hearts, it was then Even who had a suggestion. We hypothesized that the hearts of those who had left us still lingered, still capable of occupying another appropriate physical body. We would create a new body for hearts, his parent's hearts. The proposed idea was incredibly far-fetched, if I was to be honest, but every person in the team was fully on board. Ienzo grew excited at our new venture, throwing himself to every opportunity possible to further our research. Preliminary experiments were done but… "

"Xehanort," Naminé finished, a bitter feeling in her stomach.

Ansem let out a tired sigh. "Correct. Inhumane experiments were conducted without my consent at the same time. A noble goal became an obsession."

Ienzo's soft snoring filled the room as the two finished their cup of tea in comfortable silence. Taking both his and Naminé's cup, he walked towards the same counter had made the tea and started pouring another cup.

"Now, why, you ask?" Putting down the new cup of tea in front of Naminé, he beckoned at it. "This warmth that you feel. Comforting, isn't it?"

She took a sip, feeling her shoulders relax. She hold onto the cup for a while longer, keeping it close to her chest. "It's very comforting."

Ansem beamed in delight at her words. "Then our little Ienzo's wishes have been fulfilled!" he exclaimed.

Ienzo suddenly stirred in his sleep at Ansem's loud voice. The two shared a small laugh as they quieted down to let the researcher sleep some more.

"His exact words were 'I want them to feel what I lost when I was younger. The warmth, the comfort, the love that you all showed me.' With your words, I believe he had done what he had set out to do."

"I owe you all my life," Naminé spoke, her eyes locked onto Ansem's.

Instead, he shook his head and laid his hands onto hers. "Nay, dear Naminé. It is us who owe all of you. We were calloused and driven by sheer madness to find new discoveries. Everyone in this laboratory, even I, seeks atonement for what had happened. Selfish it may be, but you are the living proof of our atonement. Live your life, experience everything you ever wanted to do, let emotions course through your veins. Live."

Ansem's eyes teared up, dripping onto the table. Naminé stood up and wrapped her arms around him, tears of her own starting to form.

"Naminé…?" Ienzo groggily awoke from his sleep, yawning and rubbing his eyes in confusion. He cursed inwardly to himself, having falling asleep calculating again.

"Ienzo!" he heard her yell as a blur of white and blonde crashed onto him, sending him sprawling onto the floor.

Ansem looked on with a satisfied look, clearing away the tears. Suddenly, the door behind him opened and a yawning Even walked in.

"Ah, Even. You're awake," he greeted him, already getting up to brew more tea.

"I am now after all that commotion," the cranky researcher replied, rolling his eyes at Ienzo and Naminé. But the smile on his lips said otherwise. "Master, have I ever told you that these two look like siblings?"

Ansem let out a laugh, waking up the entire laboratory.

"I was just thinking the same thing."

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**Although this chapter is about Ienzo, it really is more about the entire Radiant Garden Research Team. After the cutscene in Kingdom Hearts III where Naminé wakes up, I always imagined the researchers collapsing in exhaustion with a smile on their faces. Enjoy!**


	3. Forgiveness

**INDOMITABLE**

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**Forgiveness**

"Out of all the Worlds you could've asked the King to drop you, you choose San Fransokyo?"

Keeping his gaze at the neon skyline, Isa merely nodded in reply at the newly arrived. The evening bustle of San Fransokyo was in full swing, the streets breathing with life. He sat atop the Golden Gate Bridge, quietly observing the people below.

"It took a lot of effort to keep this from melting while looking for you, you know?" he heard him say as he took the spot next to him.

Lea's hand came into view, breaking him away from his trance. Isa rolled his eyes but the small smile in his lips said otherwise. Trust his best friend to bring sea salt ice cream to other Worlds. Keeping the World Order wasn't really high on Lea's list, he figured. Would this even disrupt the World Order? It was an ice cream flavour.

"You found me regardless, right?" Isa finally replied.

"Wasn't hard. Just followed your scent and there you were," Lea explained, a smug look in his face. "But why here?"

"Are you a bloodhound or something?" Isa joked, throwing a light punch at his arm.

"Aye! I could've dropped my ice cream," Lea protested, keeping the popsicle close to his chest. He shifted his posture before turning to face Isa. "Can't let the only person that knows how to cook go MIA too long on us. But seriously, what's eating you?"

"Twilight Town was too bright. Couldn't sleep."

It was a half truth. The perpetual sunset of their new home really did made sleeping impossible. The local trio did say it would take some time to get used to but it had been months since they moved in the old mansion.

Months since he came back.

It was Lea's turn to roll his eyes. "That's because you haven't been taking the pills Ienzo sent," he lectured his friend, pointing a finger right at him.

"It doesn't work on me."

"Ha! Now that's funny. It works for me and we both know you're the one who passes out first every time."

Isa stumbled at his friend's words. He forgot how much they really knew each other. He frowned, not even needing to look at him to see the smug grin on his face. "You got me there."

Isa's gaze returned to the view in front of him, taking a bite out of the sea salt ice cream. He found the view comforting, the glow of the city lights mesmerizing him. Was it because it reminded him of the World That Never Was?

"How's Roxas and Xion?" he asked, dodging Lea's prodding once again.

"Huh? Pence took 'em out for a movie or some-" Lea stopped, furrowing his eyebrows. "It's about them, isn't it?"

Isa grunted once more. How much they really knew each other was starting to bother him. Lea's face contorted to a mischievous grin, shuffling closer to the blue haired man to tease him further.

"Do I even deserve to be there with you guys?" Isa suddenly asked, stopping Lea in his tracks.

A moment of silence passed between the two, the weight of his friend's words leaving Lea speechless. It had been on Isa's mind since the very second he became whole again. Would they ever welcome the person that destroyed what was dear to them? Would they let the person that ripped them apart in? What's more, he had manipulated his closest friend, using their history as leverage. Did he even want him there with them? Isa let out a tired sigh, shoulders shrinking in shame and regret as his thoughts wandered.

"You know I know, right?" Lea said.

Isa turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know, the whole atonement thing with the Replicas." Lea smirked as his friend choked on the ice cream at his sudden revelation. "Even told me everything."

"I don't know what you mean," Isa simply said, trying to drop the subject. He cursed at Even. Did the words 'not tell anyone' go through one ear and the next? Wasn't the man supposed to be smart?

"Yeah, yeah. Deny it all you want. But from my perspective, you were the one who brought them back." Lea stood up and placed his hands on Isa's shoulders. "And for that, I forgive you."

Isa's breath hitched at his words. He forgave him? The tight feeling in his chest slowly unwrapped, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he processed those three words. Did he mean it? What if he was just saying it to make him feel better?

Isa shook his head. It was Lea afterall, and the man was as sincere as they came. Then, did he really mean it?

"Do you mean it?" he asked.

Lea merely nodded, a firm grip on his friend's shoulder. "Yes. Got it memorized?"

Isa couldn't help but laugh. At the catchphrase or in relief? He wasn't sure but inside, months of shame and regret were flooded away, a wave of relief and happiness crashing through him. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold evening air fill his lungs. His chest felt lighter already.

He was forgiven.

"Do the kids know?" Isa asked, out of breath still from the laughing.

Lea shook his head. "Nope but I can guarantee that they'd already have forgiven you too. And FYI, I didn't choose them over you," Lea explained, recalling back to his friend's Nobody's last words before being re-completed. "I chose all three of you guys." He gently patted his friend's shoulder, a small smile on his lips.

"Thanks, Lea."

How long has it been since they shared a moment like this? The unexpected vulnerable moment between him and Lea felt almost foreign. His eyes started to water but he quickly wiped them away with his arm, the gesture not evading Lea's observant eyes.

"Did you just cry?" he teased.

"I didn't."

Lea squinted his eyes in suspicion. "You totally did."

Finally finishing his ice cream, Isa stood up from the ledge of the bridge and took one last look of the city in front of him. Lea stood up as well, dusting off his pants before turning to Isa.

"Now that you're done moping, I hope you still remember what started this all," Lea commented, a smirk on his lips.

Isa grinned with a knowing look in his eyes. He cracked his knuckles with anticipation. "Oh, I've never forgotten. This time, we'll definitely find her."

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**And that's it! This chapter was honestly pretty hard to write since I first wanted it about Isa not knowing how to be a somebody again but instead, I figured I should instead focus on Lea forgiving Isa. Thank you all for reading!**


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